Equisetum telmatiae

The first time I saw this plant I was riding a train from Mount Vernon, Washington to Seattle. As the car sped me toward my destination, I first spotted this plant in multitudes along the tracks. I instantly wondered what it was, and when the train would slow down I would strain my eyes to see if I could determine what manner of plant it was. Something about its jointed appearance suggested Equisetum, the plants commonly called "scouring rushes," but the specimens I had seen in Texas were naked spikes thrusting up from the dirt like spears. I had printed them and they were quite striking, but these frilly plants were far more elaborate. If they would print, they might be wonderful! When I got to Seattle I kept my eyes out for them, and saw a few in weedy situations. I asked my hosts at Alkai Beach in West Seattle where I might find more of them. "Those weeds? What do you want with them? They are a pest around here! People complain that they cannot get rid of them." "I thought I might try to print them," I answered. My friends knew me well enough to realize that I was not insane, and that I might indeed be able to get a work of art from them. "Try down the street where the bridge crosses the park." I made my way down SW Admiral Way toward the ravine at Schmitz Park, and along the way found several populations in people's yards. I wanted to yank them up, but feared that I might be arrested for lunacy, so I fought my enthusiasm, My excitement mounted at the bridge where a path descended down a worn stone staircase, and I anxiously ran down to a ravine in deep shade from an arboreal canopy far above. There I discovered a wonderful hiking trail nearly overrun with them! Their lush abundance was almost overwhelming. I gathered a few in my arms, dismayed a little that I could not get any with significant roots. These I brought back to my friends house where I hastily pressed them in my 24" x 48" herbarium press ("The World's Largest" I often brag, knowing that refutation is unlikely). I usually work pretty fast with plant material, it sometimes wilts and is rendered useless. When we were ready to head home, my very indulgent traveling partner helped me load the stuffed press into the back of the SUV and off we went. Through the high plains of Oregon, Idaho, Utah and New Mexico, collecting grasses as we went, through the high plains back to Texas. When I returned home to the print shop, I brought out my lovely treasures and began to try them out. I was most anxious to print the frilly Equisetum, so they were the first I put to the press, and they were wonderful! However, they proved to be a challenge to handle. They broke apart at the joints, and the frilly radial leaves tended to get stuck in the ink. I could get at most three prints from each before they began to look rather bedraggled and had to be discarded. They are all gone now, but When I get back to Seattle, I'll get more specimens.

Equisetum telmatiae, close-up

Here you can see the jointed stems and delicate whorls of leaves, also segmented into nodes that tend to fragment. The whole plant is embedded with silicious particles and is quite rough. When you touch them, it becomes clear why they are called scouring rushes. They would take the burnt on crust from a cast-iron skillet in short order.